ROGERS — When Judge Brad Karren hires a replacement for Ashley Ladouceur, the deputy court clerk fired earlier this month, there will be one more hurdle to negotiate.
Beginning now, those wanting to work for the Rogers District Court must, along with background and criminal checks, submit to a credit status review.
Karren refused to talk about Ladouceur or details of her employment termination - he referred to the public records - because the city is currently fighting her unemployment claim.
According to those public records, Ladouceur was implicated in the disappearance, and subsequent reappearance, of a $3,200 deposit in late August. Police reports detail how court employees told detectives Ladouceur was having financial difficulties at the time the money vanished, hence the new credit check.
But here's the caveat: A credit check would likely not have altered Ladouceur's initial hiring, Karren said. She was already on staff whenKarren won election to the office, and the judge did not believe she had a negative credit report at the time.
Unlike the hiring procedures, the process for changing records - Ladouceur was accused of deleting her boyfriend's address from one field in the computer system - would not benefit from updated policies, Karren said. Ladouceur's failure to remove any but a single record of Michael Kalberloh's address shows that. His address was deleted from a narrative field but was still present on warrants, billing and other court documents, providing a backup of sorts. Karren believes this was an isolated incident, as he has found no other altered files.
After evaluating the situation, Karren has decided that, even with the best procedures, the quality of court employees depends on the judge.
"I just have to hire good people," Karren said.
News, Pages 9 on 09/23/2009